The hotels of Gran Canaria They are experiencing an occupation this summer that ranges from 90 to 95%, a technical full as explained by the director Lopesan Costa meloneras, David Morales. This data goes somewhat in parallel with the statistics offered by the president of the Federation of Hospitality and Tourism Entrepreneurs of the palms (FEHT), José María Manaricúa. But these valuations are somewhat distant from the annual reality. On the round island, the adventure count for 2023 an overall drop of 3% in the number of tourists. However, it contrasts with the 8% increase in the tenerife island Also for this year.
Mañaricúa asserts that “tourist occupancy today in Gran Canaria is 3% lower than the reference data we have for 2019, that of the pandemic». What’s more, he points out that the data for overnight stays has fallen by 11%, always speaking of Gran Canaria, in reference to the fact that fewer people occupy a place per night. He attributes it to several factors: the engine economic that the municipality of San Bartolome de Tirajana has fallen. “For more than 40 years it has been in decline, with complementary facilities such as shopping centers and surrounding areas that look like a pasture,” he highlights.
Go to the 21st century
Adds the president of the tourist employers’ association that “today it is not worth a tourist going to a beach bar and they put him to eat a sandwich heated in a microwave. There has not been a rehabilitation in coastal areas, such as beach bars, shopping centers, common areas such as parks and walks and hammocks in line with the 21st century.
Yes, the hotel plant has done it, emphasizes Mañaricúa, who ensures that the owners of the hotel plant have gone several steps further than the public administrations in terms of the rehabilitation of external areas.
The president of the FEHT maintains that this downturn in Gran Canaria, which has also dragged on since the pre-pandemic years, from 2017 onwards, gives an idea that “the rebound and record number of visitors that the canarian government is a lie. There is no record here.”
In Tenerife there is a recovery, no less than an 8% rebound for this year.
And the reasons for this great boost to the tourist economy of the western island correspond to “four unmistakable landmarks and they are called Seam Park, Loro Park, Teide National Park and although it seems curious, the La Gomera island». This is the point of view of the hotel manager at Lopesan Costa Meloneras, who is also sure that “Gran Canaria cannot currently offer attractions like Tenerife does”.
Here they are obsolete: «There are no milestones or options beyond a water park and above all, the stoppage of the project, a park like Syam Park, which is still waiting.
No Syam Park
Remember that the promoter of this great project is the group Parrot parkwhich recently announced that it is willing to go ahead with the water park Siam Park What do you want to build on? San Bartolome de Tirajana despite the obstacles he has encountered to carry it out. He calculates the investment required for the project that was presented in 2015 at around 160 million euros, when it was valued at 80 million euros.
Despite these rather lousy data for tourism in Gran Canaria in the long term, David Morales believes that the expected numbers of visitors this year may exceed 20,000 million euros, calculating that only one million tourists provide some 1,100 million . He estimates that in six months visits can be increased by 600,000 tourists.
On the destination of the visitor, the manager gives a fundamental piece of information. if he comes to Canary Islands a married couple with a child from the Peninsula, only the cost of the plane costs them 1,800 euros, without counting accommodation and living expenses.
Morales also points out that in September “congress tourism will return to Gran Canaria, and tourism will be favored, it is a boost for the tourist reception figures,” he indicates.
On the other hand, and according to data provided by the Councilor for Tourism of the San Bartolomé de Tirajana City Council, Yilenia Vega, the town maintains an occupancy rate of 70-80% between July and August. Until May 2, 2023, the municipality had a census of 246 open tourist establishments, with 27,557 rooms and 55,114 beds, representing an income of 62.8 million euros per year.
It also indicates that the main emitters in this municipality from May to August are from Spain, Germany, the United Kingdom, France and Italy. By far the national visitor sweeps at this time, with 66%. With respect to the German tourist who arrives in the summer in San Bartolomé, the percentage is situated at 15%.
Among the data provided by the San Bartolomé Tourism councilor, it appears that its “main product is sun and sand.”
